Low pressure pool cleaner system

Abstract

An improved water jet pool cleaner system includes a pool cleaner with a buoyant housing powered about the pool by forward and reverse driving nozzles so dirt and other debris is gathered at the low point on the bottom of the pool by the action of depending cleaner hoses. Water from the filter pump enters a fluid reservoir from which it flows along parallel flow paths to the forward and reverse driving nozzles, to a turbine, and to the cleaner hoses. Pressurized water is directed to the forward and reverse nozzles through a rotary valve which is rotated by the drive train connected to the turbine. The parallel flow paths permits water to be provided to the driving nozzles, to the turbine and to the cleaner hoses at pressures substantially equal to the fluid reservoir pressure. The system uses a flow diverter downstream of the main pool filter to divert the proper amount of water to the cleaner. Manual and automatic flow diverters and a novel in-line filter are also disclosed.

I claim: 
     
       1. A modification kit for use with a fluid jet pool cleaner of the type including a buoyant housing, a drive unit including a main fluid inlet, turbine, a main fluid path from the main inlet, past the turbine and to a turbine outlet, a drive nozzle unit and a cleaner hose both fluidly connected to the turbine outlet, the kit comprising: a fluid manifold mounted to the drive unit including a reservoir inlet, a reservoir outlet, a cleaner hose outlet and a valve housing all fluidly connected to a common interior of said manifold in parallel with one another, said reservoir outlet fluidly connected to the main fluid inlet;   a drive nozzle valve mounted within said valve housing; and   a replacement drive nozzle unit operably coupled to said drive nozzle valve.   
     
     
       2. The modification kit of claim 1 wherein said reservoir inlet and outlet, said cleaner hose outlet and said valve housing are all directly fluidly connected to said common interior so the fluid pressures thereat are substantially the same. 
     
     
       3. The modification kit of claim 1 wherein said replacement drive nozzle unit includes a forward nozzle unit mounted within said manifold adjacent a first side of said drive nozzle valve and a reverse nozzle unit mounted within the drive unit adjacent a second side of said drive nozzle valve. 
     
     
       4. The modification kit of claim 3 wherein said drive nozzle valve is a rotary valve. 
     
     
       5. A modification kit for use with a fluid jet pool cleaner of the type including a buoyant housing, a drive unit including a main fluid inlet, a turbine, a main fluid path from the main inlet, past the turbine and to a turbine outlet, a drive nozzle unit and a cleaner hose both fluidly connected to the turbine outlet, the kit comprising: a fluid manifold mounted to the drive unit including a reservoir inlet, a reservoir outlet, a cleaner hose outlet and a valve housing all directly fluidly connected to a common interior of said manifold in parallel with one another so the fluid pressures thereat are substantially the same, said reservoir outlet fluidly connected to the main fluid inlet;   a rotary drive nozzle valve mounted within said valve housing; and   a replacement drive nozzle unit, operably coupled to said drive nozzle valve, including a forward nozzle unit mounted within said manifold adjacent a first side of said drive nozzle valve and a reverse nozzle unit mounted within the drive unit adjacent a second side of said drive nozzle valve.